Find out how popular the last name Bennani is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bennani.

Bennani, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bennani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bennani in America

Bennani is the 87663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bennani surname appeared 212 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bennani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bennani to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bennani

The surname BENNANI has its origins in Morocco, where it is believed to have first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Arabic word "bani," meaning "sons of," and is likely associated with the Berber tribe or clan of the same name.

The BENNANI name is most commonly found in the regions of Fez, Meknes, and Taza, which were important centers of Moroccan culture and learning during the medieval period. It is possible that the name was originally associated with scholars or intellectuals from these areas.

Historical records from the 15th century mention individuals with the BENNANI surname, suggesting that it had become well-established by that time. One notable figure was Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Bennani, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in Fez during the early 1400s.

In the 16th century, the BENNANI name appeared in the writings of the famous Moroccan traveler and explorer, Ibn Battuta. He mentioned encountering individuals with this surname during his travels across North Africa and the Middle East.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the BENNANI family played a significant role in the political and cultural life of Morocco. Ahmad al-Bennani, who was born in 1640, served as the Grand Vizier under the Alaouite Sultan Mulay Ismail.

Another notable figure was Muhammad al-Bennani, a scholar and writer who lived in the late 18th century. He authored several works on Islamic jurisprudence and theology, which were widely studied in Moroccan universities.

In the 19th century, the BENNANI surname continued to be associated with intellectual and religious circles in Morocco. One prominent individual was Abdel Kader al-Bennani, a renowned Sufi master and teacher who lived in Fez from 1810 to 1889.

The BENNANI name has also been carried by individuals from other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage. For example, in the early 20th century, there was a notable Algerian-born French artist named Mohamed Bennani, who specialized in miniature painting and calligraphy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bennani

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bennani.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bennani was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bennani has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bennani was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bennani, please contact us.

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